Not much cheer as US forces wine aficionados to cool down

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has introduced costly wine cooler efficiency tests.

On July 15, DOE announced the rule, which requires manufacturers to test the energy efficiency of refrigerators used for chilling wine.

It estimated the rule would cost the average small business $12,500 (£9600) to test whether their equipment meets specifications, a cost it thought “unlikely to represent a significant economic impact for small businesses”.

DOE has not yet addressed the potential implications to consumers who already use or want to buy wine chillers in their homes.

The temperature for wine chillers should be 55°F (12C) under the new rules, the DOE said.